>> plus this week's setback for gun control. tonight, on "washington week." boston, under siege. several dead. more than 100 injured. and millions rattled by scary, random, terrorism. >> we ma we will pick ours up. we'll keep going. we will finish the race. >> ifill: uncertainty dominated the the week. >> i think it's fire to say this entire week we've been in a pretty direct confrontation with evil. >> this is not an "n.c.i.s."episode. sometimes you have to take time to properly put the chain together to identify the

perpetrators. >> ifill: now there are suspects but little clarity. we try to put the puzzle pieces together. also, another emotional moment in washington. >> we'll return home now, dint but efeated. >> ifill: as victims watched the senate rejected a plan to impose background checks on gun buyers. >> mr. president. >> shame on you! >> there will be order in the senate. >> the proper approach in my view to addressing the issue of violent crime is to focus our resources, our attention on violent criminals, to do everything we can to punish, to prosecute and to deter violent criminals. >> ifill: covering a tumultuous week, tom gjelten of npr. peter baker of the "new york times." karen tumulty of the "washington post." and jeff zeleny of abc news.

>> covering history as it happens. live from our nation's capital, this is "washington week," with gwen ifill.

>> once again, live from washington, moderator gwen ifill. >> ifill: good evening. we could not have invented this week if we tried. an iconic sporting event comes under attack after one suspect is killed and another one runs, a manhunt consumes boston, shutting down the city and its suburbs. the suspects have roots in the disputed russian province of chechnya, and in the middle of it all, the president of the united states becomes consoler in chief once again. >> they sought to intimidate us, to terterrorize us, to chaik p shake us from those values that deval described, the values that make us who we are as americans, well, it should be pretty clear by now they picked the wrong city to do it. >> ifill: the boston marathon bombings brought us back to that scary place we lived through

after oklahoma city, after atlanta, and after 9/11, the sense that nothing is under control. so where do things stand tonight, tom? >> . >> still not quite under control, it seems, gwen. and i imagine for the people of boston, today must have been a day something like what 9/11 was new yorkers. a city shut down, a sense of paralysis, fear, vulnerability, police everywhere, armored vehicle, and tonight as we go on the air, that situation is still the same-- police all over boston. we don't know what's going on. gunshots heard in the night. explosions heard. it's really something that we haven't seen in a long, long time. and this manhunt, has there ever been a time in american history where we have seen a city shut down looking for one 19-year-old man? >> ifill: tell us, peter bthese two suspects. one now deceased, the other, the brother who is the one who everyone has been looking for. >> they're two brothers, dzhokar tsarnaev is the one who survived

the shoot-out originally and has been saw the all day in boston. he's 19 years old. been here since 2002, just made a united states citizen last year on september 11, as it turns out. wrestling-- all-star wrestler in high school. studying at the university of massachusetts dartmouth-- not doing well. his brother, who passed away, who died in a shoot-out last night with the police, was tamerlan tsarnaev, 26. he is believed to be the more dominant of the two. there is a discussion whether he controlled or manipulated his younger brother. we've heard that scenario before. he was-- he had said on some internet sites that he was very religious and talked about how he didn't have a single american friend. >> ifill: but in the end, part of what was interesting about this story, aside from the sheer shock of it, was the breadth of the investigation. i heard 9,000 police officers at one point. >> this was really an extraordinary police achievement. i mean, if you think about the thousand of people who were

there around the boston marathon on monday, and they basically-- all they could do was to look for somebody that had a black backpack, and acting suspiciously. and they were able to identify two-- a man at each bombing site. that wasn't enough for them, but they did identify these two suspicious characters. the real turn came when they found out that those two individuals were walking together at one point. so you saw two men walking together, and then coincidentally, each of them ended up at one of the bombing sites. that was the key, and hoos how they figured it out. but it took extraordinary work. >> ifill: one of the other interesting things that came out of this-- it seemed like there was one revelation after the other, and peter, you would know something about this, because you've been there. thechech me an roots, and is ths domestic terrorism, foreign

terrorism? >> we don't know. we have to be careful here. they have not lived in chech me as grown men. they grew up in krygyzstan and moved here in the early 2000s. one of thing brothers talked on the web how how chechnya ought to be independent from russia. this is a century's old dispute between moscow and the russian republican, the southern tier. but that doesn't mean they're connected to the conflict. there is no evidence we have seen publicly of any ties to any well-?oan groups. so we're speculating to some extent, and it could be something completely unrelated. >> i was struck of struck during the reports today, as best their friends could tell, they were both thoroughly american, especially the younger brother. friends were recalling his sport achievements. he was in the drama club. he went to the prom. these were not sort of isolated people who would sort of held themselves out outside of

society. >> cheshians have not had a beef with american. they're not thrilled with us -- >> with russia. >> theor beef is with russia. but it's not been an anti-american type of movement up until now. >> we did learn that the older brother in recent years had become-- had come to take islam much more seriously. he actually married a christian woman but then she converted. and according to our reporting today, she was put under a lot of pressure by him to become more and more devout, to the point she actually at this point has been wearin wearing a hajib. the older brother became less and less integrated into american life for whatever reason. >> i was talking with intelligence, members in the senate and the house, and one thing that the house homeland security committee chairman said

he wants to zero in is a trip the older brother took to russia last year for six months he spent in russia and he is asking the question was he radicalized there? how easy is that to answer? >> he took a trip to russia for six months but his parents about a year ago moved back to russia, a region called dagestan. he has ever reason to go visit his parents. they talked with his father. he said he was never out of my sight. we visited relatives in chechnya. >> he said he was being framed in the united states. >> uncles estranged from the family accept the idea this might have happened and they were loserses as one put. >> he said he brought shame on the chechen identity, the chechen identity, and you're right peter he just said they're losers and didn't fit in. the truth is-- when you look at

the violent crimes we've had, the mass shootings in recent years, there are sometimes indications of maladjustment and so forth-- glif gl but this was an uncle who hasn't seen them since 2005. it feels like moments at this they come out of the woodwork. the difference is they usually say he was a loner and kept to himself. we're hearing wildly divergent descriptions instead. >> and it doesn't have the organization you've seen in the chechen terrorist cells in the past. they have been very effective in russia in the past. i was there in moscow when they seized a theater full of people, 130 people died rchg and they seeds a school, 300 people died, mostly children they are incredibly effective at mass slaughter. this doesn't look like that kind of an operation. >> ifill: let's get back to what this one looks like. does it bear any resemblance in request way to other terrorist attacks we have seen either

foiled or carried out? >> we do know that there has been variety of sort of domestic extremist attacks on symbols of government, the federal building, you know, the government buildings in new york and so forth. that's from sort of the domestic extremist point of view. and then the jihadi groups have tended to focus more on symbols of the american nation. there was a lot of interest in attacking monuments. the boston marathon-- in times square. the boston marathon sort of doesn't fit either one of these categories. it's an iconic event. it's an iconic institution for the people of boston, but internationally, it doesn't really have that kind of image. so it's just a hard one to figure out. >> ifill: on the other hand, it is also a big spectator event. we haven't seen that sort of thing where you see a-- with a lot of cameras already pointed at it. we knew it was going to be a big deal. >> look whose happened here. but no way to minimize this.

three people died. and we as a country are gripped by it. we are terrorized. it has literally achieved that end of that goal of terrorism. what is remarkable to me, we have gone 10, 12 years since 9/11 without a series of these type of small-scale attack which would have as much impact i think on this country as the larger scale ones. >> it was a very intimate attack. there was the pointed story of the young man who lost both legs in the bombing and he said in the moment before the bomb went off the-- the moment before he put his bag down, the bomber was right there and looked him in the eye. so he knows who set off the bomb. and it's just a very 10r9 of personnel thing. >> ifill: we should say our friend pete williams at nbc news who sits around the table with us some nights, has been reporting the second suspect, the younger brother, has been-- they think, maybe, perhaps-- cornered. they think maybe he's in a

neighborhood in watertown, and we're still waiting for confirmation about whether he's dead or alive. but that raises the question to me about the breadth of this investigation. how much of it was federal? how much of it was local? how much of it was state? who took the lead? >> well, this was one of these classic cases of a joint terrorism task force. and this is an institution that has really developed in the aftermath of 9/11 where you bring together all kind of law enforcement agencies, all kind of jurisdictions-- local, county, federal, state. they work together as a task force, and this seems to have been-- worked very well in this case. >> ifill: okay, well, in that case we're going to move on. if we get anything new while we're on the air we'll share it with you. the president's week air force complicated one, especially after the senatey jected the mildest form of gun control-- background checks for gun buyers. only a week another a republican senator, pat toomey, and a democrat joe manchin seemed to

have hit on the perfect compromise but no. republicans and several democrats called it necessary. what happened in the end, jeff? >> what happened in the end is probably what was going to happen in the beginning, that gun control is one of the most complicated things to pass the senate. ythere was incredible emotion. i was up there as the newtown families were going door to door to door talking to senators. it was the most emotional lobbying campaign i have ever seen. but what was not present, at least visible, this was aggressive lobbying from the n.r.a. and from gun owners of america who simply would not allow republicans-- most republicans to join this effort. so i think what happened this week was-- i mean, first of all, the final bill that was being discussed, the-- expanding the background checks was just a very small, watered down measure compared to what the president had proposed on a ban on assault weapon and other things like

that. but even that couldn't have passed. they couldn't get republicans to sort of sign on to it, even moderate republicans. john mccain, i thought, when he wassing giving his floor speech, he voted for this, boy, it reminded me of the john mccain of 2000. he was out there saying this is the right thing to do. gabby giffords was shot. she's my friend. and there were still not enough republicans to do it. you ask them privately and they say it's not an easy vote to take and they said the house isn't going to pass this anyway so why should i vote for it gr it wasn't just republicans. there were key democrats. >> four democrats voted no, but even if all four voted for it they still would not have the 60 votes. the house probably not doing it was at least one explainer why some senate republicans thought it was easier to vote against it. >> what does this say about the president's possible domestic legislative agenda for the rest of his term? he's got three and a half years left. this is an issue it's background

checks, not the other part of the package-- had 90% support. if he can't get this through what can he get through? >> that's a good question. we'll see that coming up on immigration. immigration is the next up. the bill was introduced this week as well as everything else was going on. people think immigration has a better chance of passing because it's a politically sort of expedient and more popular for republicans. but it is not to be underestimated the size of defeat this is for this white house. he put his capital on the line. the vice president was up there for vote. he was making phone calls. the president flew the newtown families in and things. it is a significant defeat for him, and i think it means that most of the. rest of his second term, he does not have a big legislative agenda remaining. >> and he seemed really angry by the defeat i'm curious whether that's tactical at all or was it just plain emotional visceral anger. >> i think it's both. i think it certainly seemed

visceral. i cannot remember a time, in a public policy setting, where he was that angry standing in the rose garden with the families around him. that was really-- >> and vice president bide wen his hand over his face. >> it was an incredible picture on the front page of the "new york times." and i think he was mad about this. but the question is we'll see if the power of this organization that he built, organizing for america, it's this sort of pose-campaign group, are they really going to go after some of these democrats who voted against it and primary them? of course they're not. so i think it was always going to be tough. >> that was what was striking is all through the campaign the president said i finally begin to realize you change washington from the inside. you have to change washington from the outside. and we saw him on the gun control issue do all of the things he said he was going to do. he went around the country to build support. the last weekend before he had one of the victims of the shooting's parents give the saturday radio address, and it suggested that you can't even change washington from the outside.

so essentially, you wonder, you know, what-- what tools, what 11ers does he really have left? >> part of it was the white house and his supporters kind of got beat in the message game here. the n.r.a., and gun owners of america effectively branded this as a gun registry, which is something that a lot of republicans can't support, and in fact that wasn't true. >> ifill: cothey do that subrosa because we were so busy paying attention to the lobbying campaign, the very emotional lobbying campaign, that this was happening quietly? >> you get the sense these were two entirely different kind of operations. one was all about message, and the other was all about sort of the mechanics. i mean, the gun rights people, they-- they had their machinery going, and it really did look like they were losing its message war. but it turned out the message war didn't matter. >> and they branded this as something that would essentially be a federal gun registry. in fact there was a portion of the bill air, piece of legislation in the bill that would make it a felony if there was a gun registry. heaven forbid having an

electronic gun registry but that is very controversial in some places. i would say this is one that the white house, and senator harry reid majority leader was a bit out-maneuvered by the other side on this. >> ifill: is it possible this face-to-face victim lobbying, gabby giffords running a very emotional op-ed piece the next day in the "new york times," and everyone declaring this is only round one that they'll be back, that that can change what we just saw, change the formula? >> we'll see if different senators were elected purpose there were a few other profiles of courage. senator mary landers up for reelection from louisiana, she voted for it. i ran into her in the hallway after the vote. and i said, "senator, how tough a vote was that?" and she said, "it was a very tough vote but it was the right thing to do." senator reid has effectively pulled the bill. he said it's time to take a pause here and a breath here and kind of see what the next steps are. but i think it's done for gun control slairkz at least with this current makeup of the senate. >> ifill: it may be too much

to ask people taking tough votes to take vote on immigration, gay marriage, and gun control in one session. thank you, jeff. and congratulations on the new job. >> thanks, gwen. >> ifill: how does government, how do leaders, how do we function when everything is so uncertain? the white house released this picture of the president meeting with security advisers on the boston bombings in the situation room today. at a time like this, though, with ricin scares and shocking explosions in texas, and municipal shutdispowns legislative setbacks like gun control, it's hard ton if that picture is reassuring or concerning. karen, which? >> i'll tell you what struck me as i saw that picture oh, my gosh, they are like the rest of us, they're just sitting there waiting to get an update on the latest horrible thing to sort of wash over us this week. and it's so striking when you think about where they were just a week ago. it looked like this bipartisan compromise could be clearing the way for at least modest gun control legislation.

immigration was on the verge of a compromise. today, it already seemed as though the immigration issue was about to be dragged into what was happening in boston. as we heard, a senior republican on the judiciary committee, chuck grassley, say we don't know the immigration status of the people who have term rise the communities in massachusetts. when we find out, it will help shed light on the weaknesses of our system. this is-- this is-- you know, it has the potential to completely reframe the immigration debate going forward. >> ifill: and it seems to put the president in a precarious position politically, which is to say, it's all uncertain. and if you're in the first half of your second term, what you want is a little bit of certainty because you're never going to be in a stronger position. >> i think when people feel things are so out of control, they are not going to be as likely to make the kind of big bet that you need to make on a

sort of major policy change, as, for instance, immigration overhaul would be. >> i think that the problem also is that these various things that you talked about it's rice and i know the other inls dents, all of which are probably unare ununrelated, many of which we probably would not have paid as much attention to were it not for boston. rather than rallying people behind the president as these incidents have in the passed, entered questions into his leadership and where the country is. >> interestingly enough, some of the proponents, including some of the republican proponents of overhauling the immigration law were saying today if this does become an argument about national security that they do think they've got some good arguments to make, that really the bill as it was introduced by this so-called gang of eight, it requires that the border security be beefed up before anything else can happen. and they do believe that, you know, that it is possible to sell immigration reform as a

national security move. we'll see. >> it's important to remind people these two individuals, the subject of the manhunt in boston, were here legally. they were not here illegally. and they came under refugee status. >> that kind of rhetoric from senator grassily, though, does that have the potential to sort of spread like wildfire oh, have the gang of eight, the republicans in the gang of eight, sufficiently insulate themselves. >> ifill: are they stronger than the gang of two was? >> except the number of attacks coming at marco rubio from the right were pretty extraordinary. anne coulder sent out a tweet when we found out one of the suspects was dead, there's one person who won't be getting amnesty under rubio's bill. >> ifill: factually inaccurate. >> i know. >> never mind that. >> this is a man who was a hero to the tea party, who essentially helped create the

tea party and on this issue he's facing an onslaught to the right. >> he seems to have decided to actually back immigration reform. >> yes, and aggressively. they are fighting every single one of these charges. as one of rubio's aide said today, as far as they're concerned no blog is too small to answer. >> ifill: is the president's strategy, no more bipartisan dinner stuff, let me stick with what i can get through by democrats. >> they know what their strategy is. they've done the outside game. they've done the inside game. nothing is working right now. >> ifill: like the picture of them sitting around waiting to see what happens next. >> exactly. >> ifill: we're also waiting to see what happens next about the story in boston tonight but it have to be online. you can join us at 8:30 p.m. for

the "washington week extra "streamed live. we'll talk about the riens scare, and mark sanford-- yes, that happened this week, too. keep up online on newshoured.pbs.org. on our web site you can find my commentary on what happens when journalists try to get it first before getting it right. pbs.org/washingtonweek. and we'll see you again next week on "washington week." have a good night. captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

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